The figures and numbers regarding safety on campus are about as fuzzy as a television screen speckled with the off-air snow oblivion.

I see many students, staff and faculty members get riled up and go gung-ho with organizations set to ensure campus safety, but are they effective? Is this just a scare tactic or is the UNA faculty sincerely concerned with campus safety?

Of course they are. I have never met a faculty member here at UNA I did not love. In each of the academic departments, there are several committed individuals willing to give us the knowledge to knock out our opponents in the real world. While faculty is making a strong appearance, I am concerned that the governing bodies on campus representing students are not cutting it.

I recently went to a University Program Council/Senate campus safety forum. I liked that it had an informal feel and students could jump in with opinions as they pleased, but I was concerned with the fact the head of safety at UNA, Chief Bob Pastula, was not there. When I think campus safety, I think of police. Am I right?

I decided to call Chief Pastula the next day and simply ask if he knew anything about the meeting. His response was a definite no. I was appalled.

The Student Government Association and all its affiliates should be ashamed. I understood the fact that UPC wanted the forum to be as bi-directional as possible so students could voice their opinions in an academic environment. That being said, I also understood why they did not want to have a formal, informational session similar to what Chief Pastula gives.

What I cannot understand, however, is why UPC could not just tell Chief Pastula that. Instead, they held a meeting about an extremely important topic that would require current input from a reputable source and did not invite him.

I questioned Chief Pastula about some of the statements made in the meeting and some were slightly inaccurate. A member of the forum audience said campus crime was going down. Chief Pastula said he could not confirm that information, but he could definitely say crime was not going up. This skewed comment could have been corrected if Chief Pastula was there.

This is not me playing the bad guy. I am just as concerned about campus safety as anyone here at UNA. However, the lack of communication on campus is becoming childish. We are here to learn how to interact in society as adults and it is about time some people began.